Secret Life of a Super Soldier
by lou77
Summary: A young women accidentally receives the super soldier serum. While running a secret mission during the Cold War she is lost to a coma for 60 years. The only person who can help her adjust to this new world is the original super soldier himself.
1. Ch1: Mary’s Story

The sun gleaned over a chilly September day in 1953, during a special ops mission lead by Mary and three other soldiers. The mission would be to gather intel on Russian spies and to find out what Russian diplomats planned to do if the war went south--so to speak. It had been two years since Mary had been accidently injected with the super soldier serum. A young nurse stationed at the army base stationed outside New York, getting a routine physical done when the doctor mistook the vial he grabbed out of storage. Mary was supposed to be given a vitamin B boost, not superpowers. Once personnel discovered what happened, it created a whirlwind of drill tests, combat training, tactical strategy courses and more. She learned how to use her new strength and speed. She had to learn how to assemble and take apart a number of different weaponry blindfolded. Being a nurse she knew how to dress and care for field wounds, a strong advantage. Her captains were hard on her. After many, long months she became the perfect soldier since Captain America went into the Atlantic Ocean. She would be the best soldier the world would ever have, but never know about. She became a level 10 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent spy. If Russia got hold of the knowledge that the U.S. had a super soldier operating missions, it would propel the Cold War into something far worse. She ran classified missions with a small team on a need to know basis.

On this day in September, she lead a field mission into an undisclosed location with her team of three other soldiers. They had parachuted into the field and were to make their way into the compound of a Russian diplomat who had intel on some rogue American spies. Information that S.H.I.E.L.D. desperately needed. What Mary didn't know is she would never complete this mission.

The team had extensive knowledge of the security system surrounding the compound. Patrols, dogs, electric fence, cameras, sensory wires and more. They were to complete a 12 hour observation to confirm the information they had on the routines of the patrols and guards and even the movements of the cameras; information couldn't be trusted anymore. Mary made sure she always entered an unknown space before her team. The serum gave her advanced senses, healing ability and speed. After the 12 hour period, all four of them rose out of the cold snow bank, Mary in the lead, flanked by her three team members. Something didn't feel right to her, but she chalked it up to the cold air blowing in. She took another step, heard a small 'click' and felt her foot sink into the snow half an inch.

She froze on the spot, raising her right hand in a fist to signal the others to stop. When she saw them freeze out of her peripheral she pointed down and gave the signal to retreat back. "Follow your footsteps exactly the same way." she whispered to them. The soldier closest to her, Nathaniel started to object. She whipped her head around to face him. "Don't argue with me soldier." she hissed at him. "I might be able to survive this, the rest of you can't. Don't be a hero today. Get behind the hill. That's an order" Nathaniel nodded his head to her, looked down to his feet and started to retreat back to the banks they had camped behind. Mary started weighing the options in her mind, knowing there were few. She hoped that speed would be her advantage today. Slowly removing her pack, weaponry and anything else that weighed her down and keeping the same amount of pressure on the mine beneath her boot. She had roughly three seconds before the mine detonated. She had once covered 100 yards in five seconds during training, however under more favorable conditions. With a deep breath in and a deep breath out, she started to steady her mind, tightening her muscles and leaning low. On her next exhale she sprinted off the spot as fast as she could, not allowing herself to count the time that passed as she ran. She started clearing a great distance and thought maybe she had stepped on a dud when a loud 'boom' hit her ears, something smacked into her back really hard. She felt something scratch the back of her head and then the world went black.

The women lying in the hospital bed had a tangle of dark curls, her skin fair and her face dotted in freckles. The doctors explained to him she worked as level 10 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and had been in a coma from a field operation gone wrong. When she had stepped on a land mine the cold air created a delay in its detonation and she had been able to cover some ground when a piece of shrapnel had embedded in her skull. She had just woken up this morning agitated and distressed. They had sedated her and then called him to help explain to her what had happened. He sat in a chair by the bed, waiting for her to wake up out of the haze of the sedation. He studied her face, noticing the attraction he felt towards her and then pondered what her life had been like as a super soldier. He noticed her finger twitch and then her eyes started to slowly peel open out of sleep. She looked around the room, her eyes landing on him sitting in the chair. He leaned forward in the chair, resting his elbows on his knees and asked her how she felt.

"Where am I?" she asked quietly. "You're in a S.H.I.E.L.D. hospital in New York."

"What year is it?" she replied, her voice shaking as reality crashed around her. The man was dressed in clothing she didn't recognize and the machinery around her appeared to be advanced technology. "It's 2015"

"And who are you?" she demanded. He took a deep breath, looked her in the eyes and said, "I'm Steve Rogers."


	2. Ch2: A Request

It had been a few days since Captain Rogers had come to visit Mary. He had found out about her a few years ago and had been assigned to help her understand the world she had woken up to. Who better than Captain America to explain joining a new era? He had shared with her some of the key things; her biggest question being if anything happened during the Cold War. She felt relieved to hear things eventually lightened up, over many years however.

Now she finds herself in the year 2015, S.H.I.E.L.D. has fallen, destroyed by Hydra from the inside. Captain Rogers is still cleaning up after the effects of it all.

His charming good looks and kind personality were not lost on her. He mentioned in passing that he had read her file and Mary feared he knew more about her than she intended any one person to know. She knew all about Captain America and the brave missions he lead during World War 2, but she had been trained to trust no one. She didn't think a pretty face could change that now.

The nurse entered the room, disrupting her thoughts from going any further into her past. The super soldier serum and some other medical interventions over the years had kept her mind, body and face young and alert. Her main limbs still suffered from muscular atrophy and she was required to do physical therapy a few times a day, until the doctors could confirm she had returned to her peak physical fitness. The nurse helped her into a wheelchair as Captain Rogers entered the room. Mary was startled by his presence, but her training stuck with her and she didn't let the surprise show.

"Morning ma'am." He nodded to the nurse behind Mary. He turned his focus down to her and she suddenly felt very vulnerable sitting in the wheelchair under the gaze of his blue eyes. Mary tried not to squirm in her seat, not enjoying this feeling but not hating how he smiled at her.

"Morning, how are you feeling today?" he asked her. She returned his smile. "Feeling good. Ready to jump into PT."

"That's good to hear." He dipped his head thoughtfully. "Do you mind if I join your session this morning?" She did mind, but she couldn't say no to Captain America. She agreed and he took the wheelchair over from the nurse. The nurse had a girlish grin on her face as they walked away. Rogers started chatting about some pop culture he thought she would enjoy and she let him rattle on as they made their way to the physio room. Mary could sense his agitation about something, his demeanor had changed from the last time they had visited. Her physio sessions had been going really well, the doctor wanted to see her a few more times before he cleared her from the hospital. She didn't know what her future held in 2015 beyond the walls of her hospital room. Mary wondered if she would return to a civilian lifestyle; given the recent fall of SHIELD, she was starting to figure out why Captain Rogers had joined her today. He had come to her room often to visit, they swapped war stories and mission failures. This would however be the first time he had checked in on the status of her progress.

The hour passed uneventfully and the doctor confirmed that he would only need to see her once more before he felt confident to discharge her. Mary felt pleased with the progress she had made. She got permission to ditch the wheelchair and asked Captain Rogers if he wanted to walk through the hospitals garden.

"I get the sense there's something you want to discuss with me." She said to him as they got outside. The corner of his mouth turned up into a half smile as he looked sideways at her.

"I'm that obvious, huh?"

"Not really." She replied. "I just have experience reading people and situations. And you Captain Rogers have a lot going on."

"Steve."

"What?"

"Call me Steve. No titles." He said to her. She nodded her head and he took in a deep breath before he confessed his intentions.

"You're right. I do need your help." He looked forward, squinting his eyes in deep thought. "As you know, most of SHIELD is gone; but there are still Hydra agents around the world. Some active S.H.I.E.L.D agents captured one before he could take his life. And in exchange for a lighter sentence he gave us some information. Most of the information he shared proved to be useless. There's a team pulling together to track down something about a Hydra agent embedded in the White House. And-well...there is another piece of information I found important. It's personal...and there aren't many people left I can trust…"

Steve trailed off his thought and looked to see Mary's reaction to the build up of information he presented her with. She couldn't figure out what he would be asking her to do. She didn't understand this new world she found herself in. What she could understand revolves around the fact that she is a soldier and a spy and a good one. It didn't matter what Steve Rogers would ask her to do, she would follow him. "Go on." She encouraged him with a smile.

"I want your help." He said. "This won't be an easy mission, it will be on a need to know basis. And I know I'm asking a lot of you. It's only been a few weeks since you woke up and I know-trust me, I know how overwhelming it can be."

Mary reached her hand over to his arm, stopping him so they were facing each other. "Steve, I will help you. I don't know how to live in this world yet. Let me do what I'm good at and help you with whatever it is."

Appearing to relax from her words he continued. "The Hydra agent had information on my friend from before the war. He said he knows where Bucky might be hiding out. And I want to try finding him."


	3. Ch3: Mary has a Secret

A week had passed since Steve had asked Mary for help on a specific mission. He had asked her to help him track down an old war buddy; a friend he told her, who had tried to kill Steve because he didn't recognize him. Mary could respect the vulnerability he exposed when he asked her. She genuinely wanted to help, since she had begun to understand how lonely this world can feel when you belong in a different time.

She had completed her physio and she had been cleared mentally and physically at her peak performance again. She had been in the gym retaining her muscles to match the fluidity of combat fighting. The motions were coming back to her but she had begun to outmatch all her sparring partners. She could feel the familiarity and importance of having a task to focus on; she wanted to be at her best for this mission. Mary had so much respect for Steve and the belief system he held. Working alongside him made her feel ashamed, thinking of the things she had done in her past and compared to a legend like Captain America. As she was turning over her thoughts, Steve walked into the gym. She watched as his eyes scanned the room and they landed on her, he smiled and made his way over to stand next to her.

* * *

Steve had been out of the ice for three years now, living in the 21st century had been a long and difficult adjustment. There were pros and cons to this world he woke up in. He had felt so alone and when he had seen that Bucky was still alive, a hope arose in him that maybe he wouldn't be alone anymore. But he had looked into his best friends eyes and he could feel that hope dissolve. The man Steve looked at was no longer the Bucky he had known, this man was something else. Then Nick Fury had told Steve about Mary. He didn't want to feel that heartbreak again, so he hadn't allowed himself to feel much for this woman in a coma, but then she had woken up. Mary was kind and beautiful and he wanted to help her, wanted to know her. He allowed himself to feel excitement when the serum did it's work and gave her all her strength back, as it had done for him. And so, he allowed himself to feel hope.

Steve had made his way to the base gym, working out and moving his body had become the best way for him to blow off steam. He entered the room, scanning the area with all his senses and he saw Mary in the sparring ring. Her eyes were bright and focused, she was breathing heavily from a recent match and he felt an instant attraction to her that he hadn't felt in a long time. He had had many advances from women (and men, that was an adjustment for Steve) but he could never feel connected to them.

He smiled at the confused face she was wearing and made his way into the ring next to her.

"Care for a challenge today?" he asked.

"Would you like a challenge?" she teased back. "I have been finding myself bored lately." She sounded arrogant but she couldn't hide the humor in her voice; he liked the confidence she emitted. She never made him feel like a legend or a god, but an equal. He swept his hand to display his willingness to get started. "Shall we?"

She pulled her fists up to her face, making mock punches into the air in front of him. He took a step forward, she moved fast and took his feet out from under him. Steve rolled fast and jumped back on his feet. She laughed and continued to dance around him. "I thought you were going to challenge me Captain Rogers."

He moved faster this time and she batted him away easily. Steve was impressed, she was strong, a fast mover and able to predict her opponent's movements. They continued to make contact, mirroring each other's movements, no one losing and neither winning. He went to pull her arm into a lock and she flipped him onto his back, landing on top of him, her legs straddling his waist.

"I think you were going easy on me." They were both panting from the exertion of sparring, he chuckled at her comment, because he had not been going easy.

"Well I need your help, I can't bruise your ego yet." From where she sat, she looked down at him and a strand of her hair had fallen into her face. He reached up to push it back and her eyes went wide. He watched her hesitate for a second and then she pushed herself off him and offered him a hand up. "Thanks for the match. I should start packing my gear tonight. You'll debrief me in the morning?"

"Yeah, you bet." he replied. The advance he made was out of character for him, to show affection for someone he hardly knew and he now regretted the gesture. He couldn't shake the feeling she felt the same, but after her reaction he promised himself he would remain professional from now on. He didn't think he could handle anymore heartbreak in this lifetime.

* * *

Mary had panicked when Steve had touched her face and she regretted the way she had reacted. She cared for him, he made her feel safe and she felt she wasn't alone in this world with him around. But she had a secret, a secret she feared would hurt any relationship they might build.

Mary had gone undercover on one mission, as a Russian diplomats daughter and on this mission she had seen Steve's army buddy Bucky Barnes; however, she had known him as the Winter Soldier and he had been her target on that mission.


	4. Ch4: A Lead to Mexico

Mary and Steve had boarded a rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. jet at 0400. Based on the Intel gathered by the interrogation team, they were headed to a port city in Mexico, called Manzanillo. Steve expressed his dis-confidence about the lead, the location didn't fit the pattern of a brainwashed, rogue hydra agent; but this piece of information was all they had to go on and Steve wouldn't leaving any stone unturned. Mary sat at the opposite end of the jet from Steve, already resisting to help him find his friend. She had pledged herself to his cause before she knew the details; it was foolish and reckless of her, but she would honor her word, her honor and truth the most important thing to her in 2015. There is an air of awkwardness floating in the cab of the jet. The distance she created emotionally and now physically to Steve is apparent in a confined space. She can't help but feel she's keeping something important from him. What would he think if he found out S.H.I.E.L.D. knew about Sergeant Barnes for years? Or that she had been sent to capture him, at worst kill him? And even worse, what would go through the mind of America's hero if she told him she had failed that mission? The winter soldier had been a formidable opponent, an emotionless machine and she had been neither of these when she met him in Russia so many years ago. Mary feels the pressure of committing to a secret weighing on her, again questioning the 'what ifs' of keeping a piece of knowledge to herself.

A shadow drifts over her and she looks up to see Steve standing in front of her. "We're parachuting onto a private airstrip in ten minutes. Suits are in the back." She nods her head in affirmation, keeping her words limited, for fear they will betray the turmoil in her head; she walks to the back of the jet. Steve goes to confirm with the S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot and then she finds him joining her and opening the hatch of the quinjet.

"I'll take the lead jump and secure a position." he shouts over the wind. A surge of competitive instincts overwhelm her, she smiles and shouts back a NO, before taking a running jump out the plane. She feels the blast of air on her face, the whine of the wind in her ears and lets out a whoop as she free falls. She spins around in the air to see Steve jumping into the void behind her, he straightens his body, like an arrow, in an effort to catch the invisible target they are both racing towards. She turns back around, mimicking his body shape, gaining speed and distance before she needs to open her chute. She is jubilant with exhilarated adrenaline; the reminder that she is doing what sets her on fire. Her communicator beeps at her, warning she is getting too close to the ground fast, with a sharp pull she opens her parachute, feeling the familiar snap as the giant canvas slows her descent and her feet dangle toad the tarmac below. She sees the giant X, designed for parachuters to aim for and she starts pulling the straps that guide her to her mark. She hits it dead on and a few seconds later hears a thump as Steve lands a few feet beside her. He is smiling as he undoes the buckles and walks over to her. "I didn't realize we were racing."

"That's what people who lose a race say." she chortles back. Before anymore banter can continue between them, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent comes running up to them.

"Captain Rogers. Agent Townes. Welcome to Mexico. Follow me, there is some gear in the far hangar that had been sent a week before your arrival." Mary raises an eyebrow at Steve, questioning him with her facial expression _How did our gear get here before us?, _it asks.

Steve offers her a shrug, "Based on your file, I went on a hunch you would say yes." She nods her head to show she understands and quickens her pace behind the agent and to distance herself from Steve.

There is a collection of weapons for Mary to choose from and suits for different environments and situations. Steve choosing to go incognito, leaves his star spangled uniform behind, fits his vibranium shield into a specially made backpack and doesn't touch any of the guns.

There are two bikes waiting for them, now finally geared up Steve locks in the coordinates the Hydra agent supplied. They fire up the bikes, race out of the hangar, once again finding a competitive edge that pushes them both in a way they haven't experienced in a long time. Steve has experienced fighting alongside the Avengers, but Mary has never felt the camaraderie of an equal opponent and partner and she feels guilty when the feeling of joy once again pops up as they race through the streets of Manzanillo.

The location brings them to the outskirts of the city, a sort of shanty town of tents, tarps, huts and garbage. Mary and Steve look at each other, having no idea where to start looking, there aren't many people wandering around this area. Steve starts to say something to Mary, when the dust at her feet kicks up and they both hear a loud crack crack crack. Someone is shooting at them. Instincts fly in, they dive away from each other and scan the area for their shooter and for a spot to find cover. All at once, they see him, a man dressed all in black with a baseball hat covering his face, running down a little alley between some makeshift huts. Almost simultaneously Steve and Mary are back on their feet, running after the man in black. Steve follows close on his heels, Mary sees an opening up ahead and darts to the right. She hears Steve shout at her, but she pushes her legs harder, hoping this detour will pay off. She tunes into all her senses, darting around debris and people, listening for the thump of the foot chase happening nearby. She comes out into an open area and sees them running toward her before they do, she cuts off the man in black, taking him out at the legs. Then they are rolling around in the sand, throwing punches and the man is snarling like a wild animal. Mary finally pins him, it all feels too easy. Steve comes sliding in behind her, hardly panting and she pulls the hat off the mans face to reveal whose nightmare he is wearing…

To Be Continued.


	5. Ch5: Now What

When Mary doesn't recognize the mans face, a guilty rush of relief washes over her. Meanwhile, the man in black is shouting at her in German. The many years in a coma has not affected her ability to understand the profanity he slings at her and Steve. Mary still has the man pinned under the grip of her taut muscles; when she finally turns her head around and to be met by a disappointed look, Steve cannot hide.

"What's he saying?" he asks her. With a grimace she replies, "Nothing nice." And shifts her weight so her knee pushes into his stomach harder. "He's saying he knows who you are and where you should go." She says to him with an eye roll.

Steve sighs in frustration, "Ask him about Bucky." Mary relays the question and the hydra agent barks out a nasty laugh.

"He says Bucky never came here-to this city. The information and chase were an elaborate distraction to get you out in the open. Since the battle and fall of SHIELD, no one has seen Bucky. He ripped out his tracker just outside of Washington." The man continues to ramble on about how Bucky will be found by Hydra and 'refreshed' as the Winter Soldier once again. Watching the expression on Steve's face turn to grief, Mary knocks the man unconscious with the butt of her pistol. Steve's features turn to surprise, his eyebrows up in question. "He was annoying me." She replies to his unsaid questions. "And besides, he didn't give us anything we don't already know. Blah, blah I'm a bad guy and I do bad things. Let's cuff him and bag him, send him back to HQ and see if they can get something out of him."

Steve so used to being the leader is impressed by her boldness and take charge attitude, with a grin he easily complies. "I can't wait til Tony meets you." Is all he says as they haul the limp Hydra agent to his feet.

In a humble moment, they abandon the bikes and call a cab, dragging the unconscious Hydra agent along. As the car starts making the long journey back through the city, Mary notices a large plume of black smoke. A pang of dread fills her as they continue to follow the black smoke. She says to Steve, "I think that smoke is coming from the air field." He looks to the direction she's regarding, his jaw tightens and he replies, "I think you're right."

Once the black beacon does lead them to the airfield they landed on not even 24 hours ago; the cab driver tries to get them as close as he can despite all the firetrucks and emergency responders blocking the area. He rapidly fires off apologies in Spanish and broken English. Mary calms him down and pays him while Steve drags the Hydra man out of the back seat, now awake and chuckling a vile laugh.

"He says that Hydra is hunting down SHIELD. Same as we are. He says you lead them here." The man continues to blabber on and then his eyes go wide, in his hubris he gave away a clue to Mary.

"What?" Steve asks. "What did he say?"

"He let slip that Bucky is sitting somewhere cold and to the north." She relays.

"Canada?"

"Could be." She's holding the man by the arm now. "If his last known location was outside of the D.C. area. Makes sense to go North. He would get out fast and blend in there."

All of a sudden the man in her grip grunts and crumples to the ground, pulling Mary with him. "What the-?"

"Get down!" Steve shouts, flattening himself against her with his vibranium shield held above their heads, creating a barrier as they hear a bang-bang against the metal.

"Seriously?! They're shooting at us again." The emergency personnel are running around in a panic, shooting back at the unknown shooter and the barrage doesn't last long. Steve and Mary stand, regarding each other and the burning hangar that they were to be staying at for the duration of the mission.

"It's getting late." says Steve, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "We should find somewhere to stay for the night and get an early start. With no headquarters now, we have no communication for the night. We're on our own for a bit."

"So...we need a hotel." Mary adds.

"Right"

"Well, we're in a beautiful Mexican city, with a bottomless credit card courtesy of Stark Industries. I dunno about you, but when's the last time you took a little vacation Steve?"


	6. Ch6: Vacation Part 1

After a bit of convincing on Mary's part, they caught another cab and made a stop at a local market for a change of clothes. They aimed for touristy looking clothing to help them blend into the population. Mary couldn't wait to see Steve Rogers in a patterned button-down pineapple shirt. While Steve paid, Mary googled an adult only resort; children were more likely to recognize Captain America than adults who were loose and incoherent from fancy, alcoholic beverages.

"I'm still not a hundred percent comfortable with this." Steve says, as he leans his forearm onto the counter to face her. "I should be looking for Bucky if he's still out there. I can't let Hydra get to him first."

"You need to lighten up Cap. You deserve to take a break." His eyebrows start to furrow as she continues, "We will find him Steve. I made a promise to you and I intend to keep it. We'll find Bucky before Hydra. But we're not going to find him if we're burnt out, with no help, no equipment and no communication from our allies."

"You're right." he says, letting out a sigh.

"Look I found one. It has a private beach, not too big and adults only." She turns her phone to show him and he nods. Mary still senses his resistance. "Ok seriously one night. Maybe two. You were frozen for over 60 years and I laid in a bed, half dead for 50 some years. We're doing this. If not for you, then for me. Ok?" She's breathless and tired and doesn't want to fight him on this, but they've given so much to the world, they deserve a night.

"Ok, ok. I surrender." he lifts his hands up in a mock surrender and his voice sounds lighter and he allows himself to smile at her.

"Thank you." Mary replies, playfully punching his arm. She suddenly becomes very aware of how close they're standing and the realization of spending a night in a fancy resort in Mexico with him settles over the space. "Let's go." she says and peels her eyes from his and leads the way out the door to call a cab.

"Alright Mr. and Mrs. Smith, welcome to Barcelo Karmina. We have you staying for two nights in our deluxe suite, all expenses paid. Is there anything else we can help you with?"

"No, that's great. Thank you so much." Mary replies.

"Then here are your room cards and enjoy your honeymoon."

"We will!" Mary plays up the gushing newlywed part, clutching Steve's arm with a girlish giggle and they make their way out of the lobby. Once out of sight, she lets go of his arm, but keeps their bodies close.

"Well done." Steve says, as he leans into her. "I'm impressed you managed to get an upgrade."

"Why not?" she shrugs. "All part of the act, right."

"Right"

"Here's our room. 214." They walk into a large room, with a view of the ocean and private beach that sits in front of it. There's a large bathroom with double sinks and a Jacuzzi bathtub. The living room space has two couches, a coffee table and TV. In the bedroom is a large king sized bed, adorned with flowers, chocolates and champagne.

"Well, what do you want to do first?" Steve asks her.

"Hmm...I think I'm going to find a book in the gift shop and enjoy the beach for a bit. Going to join me?"

"Maybe in a bit. I'm going to wander around and I'll find you."

"You're not serious?"

"What?"

"You're going to canvas the resort! I know how you work, because it's how I think. When we first got here, I looked for possible exits that would get us out of here the fastest. But I mean it, we're taking this "vacation" seriously." She finger quotes the word vacation as she blasts him. "Just take a break Steve."

"Right. You're right. I'll go find something to eat" Mary narrows her eyes at him. "I promise. Any requests?"

"I want a big bowl of nachos please."

He chuckles under his breath, dipping his head, "Alright, I'll come find you in a bit."

Mary gives him a slight smile and disappears into the bathroom as he leaves the room.

Steve doesn't know how to flirt, he's used to Natasha's flirty banter and women coming onto him, but this is different. He wants to spend this time with Mary, getting to know her better, but a part of him feels like he's betraying his friend and his country. He makes his way to the lunch nook, he can't help but look around to pinpoint any threats; Mary doesn't have to know he kept his eyes open the short walk across the resort. He gets Mary a bowl of chips and accepts the warm, cheese sauce they hand him with it and for himself he grabs a large bowl of salad with grilled chicken. He's used to base food, where everything is carb loaded and bland in flavor. There are so many options to choose from, he doesn't know how to decide on something beyond a simple meal.

He makes his way to the beach, walking along the sand trying to find Mary, when he hears someone call his name behind him. He turns to see a woman in a black two piece bathing suit, her long dark hair fanned out around the back of the lounge chair she lays in, her legs stretched out. He realizes it's Mary, her book beside her and gesturing for him to come sit on a chair next to her. Steve is surprised at the woman in front of him, he didn't recognize her when he walked down the aisle of chairs; her hair is down for the first time since he saw her lying in the hospital bed. Simply put, she's beautiful. Her body is taut with muscles, her pale skin highlighting every sharp edge of her body. She's wearing a big smile that lights up her face and it makes Steve feel glad that he finally agreed to do this. He would do anything to see her smile like that again.

"Hi" He finally gets out.

"Hello" she replies back, laughing merrily. "Oo nachos!" Steve smiles, handing her the bowl and settling into his chair, trying and failing to keep his eyes off her.

"What?" she says, between bites of chips.

"Nothing." he pauses not sure if he should proceed, but she tilts her head, her hair falling into her face, "You look happy. You look-really happy."

"Yeah. I feel happy. And you look...more relaxed." She teases crunching on her nachos and reaching for her book. Steve smiles, actually feeling relaxed like she says and he lets his eyes close and for the first time in a long time he sleeps; a deep restful sleep on a lounge chair in a fancy resort in Mexico.

* * *

**To Be Continued...Keep reading to see Steve and Mary's relationship develop. Obviously not canon, and it's really hard to write Steve's character, but he's my favorite and I am loving writing this story. Thank you for reading!**


	7. Ch7:Part 2: Broken Moments in Mexico

Steve kept his eyes closed a moment longer, listening to the sound of the water lap onto the sand and then be pulled back in by the inevitable current. He savored the smell of the salty air and the fragrance that floated off Mary. He could sense her still beside him, the pages of her book fluttering as she read, in the light breeze. He slowly blinked open his eyes and noticed the sun had dropped closer to the horizon than when he had closed them.

"What time is it?"

"Oh you're awake." Mary said, as she closed her book to regard him. "I dunno, about four I think. I wanted to let you sleep."

"I think that's the first time I've slept without dreaming."

"I believe it. I had to check and make sure you were still breathing a few times. You looked like a corpse there for awhile." Steve chuckled. The more time they spent together the more he saw how laid back she presented herself, compared to him. "You hungry?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts and instead of answering her, he asked his own pressing question. "Why did you do it?" he turned to her, brows furrowed, his gaze fixed intently on her.

"Uhh why did I do what?" She asked slowly. "Did I let you sleep too long?"

"No." He continued. "Why did you pursue being in the army, getting the serum and becoming a spy?"

"Oh. That." She said after a pause and her gaze went down. "Well that Cap is a loaded question." She looked at him, directly in the eye. "We can't all make noble choices like you." She swiftly stood up and stalked away, leaving an air of ice behind her. Steve watched her go and realized he may have asked her a very personal question. He did not understand women at all.

Steve eventually found Mary at one of the poolside bars, with a half drank glass of a colorful beverage.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he teased. She gave him an icy stare. "Kidding." He tried again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just trying to make conversation. Get to know my partner."

"Worst part. I can't even get drunk off these pretty, little drinks." She mumbled and then took in a breath, her shoulders rising and falling and cast him a sideways glance. "It's not you. I just haven't allowed myself to think about the past in a long time. Couldn't afford to." She turned to face him, their knees softly touching as they sat on bar stools.

"And it didn't exactly become my choice." She took a long pull from her drink and set it down, playing with the rim of the cup.

"Go on." Steve encouraged.

"It's a sad story, Steve. Not one I'm proud of. I joined the army as a nurse, because it's what I needed to do. I grew up on a ranch in Montana in 1922, watched my parents struggle through the 30's like everyone else. And I knew that farming couldn't be what I was meant to do. Damn near broke their hearts, but I'm a selfish person. So I got some training, moved to New York once things got crazy during and after the war. I found myself in a government hospital, taking care of soldiers that were coming back from the pacific. I was really good at what I did and slowly was given more and more clearance for different cases. Anyways, one day I went in for a check up and I sat waiting for a vitamin B boost and the guy injected me with the serum. Of course, S.H. .D. doesn't think the injection was an accident cause the guy disappeared. That was the last thing I remember, before waking up in a hospital bed. See they had refined the serum to make it easier for people to receive and because I wasn't sick- no offence; it just heightened all my abilities, as you know. We were now fighting a different kind of war with Russia. I tried to deny it at first, I didn't want the responsibility, but S.H.I.E.L.D. is very...convincing. So didn't have much choice and then a mission flopped and here I am." She spread her hands out to regard herself and watched as Steve nodded his head, taking it all in.

"So my story isn't as...honorable as yours. The war we were fighting became stupid and sneaky and bad politics. I just wanted to help people. I wanted to help people get better."

Steve moved his hand so it held one of hers, he squeezed lightly as his other hand went to her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his. Mary sucked in a breath, her lips parting, their faces so close she could see different spots of blue in his iris. Then the bartender slammed down a fresh drink for Mary, said something in Spanish and the moment shattered. Mary turned her body to face the bar, nothing of herself touching Steve. He gave a slight cough to break the silence.

"Well did you know for the first few months of my tour they had me dancing around like a monkey?"

"Ha. Yes. And then you saved a bunch of imprisoned soldiers and took down a part of a Hydra operation."

"What I'm trying to say is, the beginnings of our stories aren't grand or heroic. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the government had agendas for us both, but we're here now and we _are_ helping people, even when it doesn't feel like it."

"I just feel like I shouldn't be here." Mary said, shaking her head.

"Yeah I felt like that for awhile after waking up." Steve watched as Mary's face clouded with indecision, she took a drink, hopped off her bar stool and stood so that her body rested between his knees. He waited as she looked into his eyes and then in one swift motion she placed her hands on his chest and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was sweet and tasted like rum from her drink. He went to put his arms around her when both their comms went off (they had agreed to keep those on their persons). They broke apart and looked at the incoming message.

"It's Fury. He has a lead to Canada." Steve looked up at Mary her eyes glistening. "Looks like we were right.." Steve wants to say more, but Mary cuts him off.

"Let's put this on hold, ok? We'll get some rest and head out first thing in the morning." She placed a second kiss to his cheek, wrapped her sweater around her body and headed back to the room. Steve let her go ahead, sensing the privacy she would need for the rest of the evening. He continued to feel turmoil in his head and heart; both for the woman in front of him and the friend from his past, he was desperately trying to find. A second message beeped in, this one encrypted for Steve only. It came in from Fury as well and read '_Concerning Intel on Mary. Will disclose when safe. _


	8. Ch8: A Hard Conversation

The rest of the evening remains uneventful; Mary quickly packs her few possessions, discarding the tourist clothes she would no longer need. She makes sure to be in bed before Steve comes back in the room. In the shadows of the night, she doesn't trust herself to not spill anymore secrets.

* * *

She hears him enter the room and listens as he makes up his spot on the couch in the living room area. She waits to hear the sounds of him settling in, followed by the heavy breaths of sleep; she then forces her own eyes closed, in hopes sleep would come for her too.

Sleep does come and with it a dream full of turmoil. She wakes with a start; images of a metallic arm, shouts, blood and absent black eyes, play out like a horror film behind her eyelids. The clock on the stand reads 2 a.m. She crawls out of the bed, grabbing one of the hotel robes and slips out the rooms sliding door to walk down along the beach.

Mary digs her toes into the sand and sits, breathing in the salt air. She hears him come before he speaks.

"Why does Fury have information about you he wants to give to me encrypted?" he asks her, his voice tense with betrayal.

"Of course he knows. The bastard knows everything." She mumbles and looks over her shoulder at Steve. "Sit." She says.

He obliges, stiffly and puts space between them. Mary lets out an audible sigh and hugs her knees to her chest.

"I don't know how to say this. I should have told you sooner, but I didn't know how. I don't know who you'll hate more when I tell you." He furrows his brows at her words, but she plows on. "I met Bucky before I went into the coma. I attempted and failed to…" Here, at these words she falters. "He was an assignment. I was instructed to take him out." She forces herself to look at his face. There are so many emotions: confusion, hurt, anger. "S.H.I.E.L.D. knew?" He asks. "Fury knew he was alive?"

"I guess." She shrugs her shoulders.

"Ok." He says and he pulls himself out of the sand, turning to leave.

"Steve-wait." She calls, desperation pulling at her heart. "I'm sorry." He nods his head and just repeats himself again, _ok_ and walks away and this time she lets him.

* * *

The next morning is quiet and tense as they go through the motions of checking out and then leaving the hotel via towncar. They make contact with their S.H.I.E.L.D. transport at an undisclosed location in the desert of mexico. There they are given new, warmer gear, to weather the Canadian winter they are headed to. They are travelling by an unmarked, single engine airplane with just the pilot and one other destination is a remote, northern town in the province of Manitoba. A group of locals sighted a man with Bucky's description camped out in the surrounding forest. The townspeople wouldn't have said anything, except that livestock and people have gone missing since _the man with the silver arm _appeared.

Mary looks up from the file she's reading to gaze at the back of Steve's head. He chose to sit apart from her and she gave him the space they both needed. Mary stretches her joints and stands up to approach him, he's too much a gentleman to come talk to her himself. She leans against the chair in the row across from him and he notices her presence by looking sideways at her.

"You can't be mad forever." She says to him, crossing her arms and sitting down in the chair so they're at face level. He takes in a deep breath and looks out the window.

"I know." He replies. "But he's my family. He's all I have left. And they kept that from me." He doesn't look angry when he turns to her; he looks tired.

"Steve, there are levels to this world even we cannot understand." She moves so she's sitting in the seat beside him and places her hand on his arm. "And he is not the friend you remember. He tried to kill you."

"No. He saved me." He shakes his head. "He pulled me out of the water that day in Washington. I saw it in his eyes. He remembered me."

"Maybe so. But he's a broken man. He's the perfect machine and the things they did to make him that way...``she trails off sadly, leaning back in her chair.

"Tell me."

She slowly shakes her head side to side on the back of her chair. "No. You're a strong man Steve, but there are somethings better left unknown."

"You're probably right." He looks at her hand still on his arm and takes it into his own and lets his thumb slowly rub the back of her hand. "I do care about you." He says after a moment.

"And I you." She gives a small smile but his eyes do not meet hers.

"But I don't think we should get involved with each other right now."

"Right." She swallows back tears stinging her eyes, "Of course, I agree." She pulls her hand back into her lap, looking down at her palms. "I'm going to talk to the pilot, see where we are." She says standing up quickly.

"Mary wait. Let me finish." She barely hears him as she rushes the short distance to the cockpit and closes the door behind her.

"Ma'am." The pilot nods in her direction.

"Where are we Captain?"

"We're flying over the Dakotas. Should be there in a couple of hours if the wind stays behind us."

"Good good."

"Would you mind taking the yoke for a moment so I can have a walk around?" He asks her.

"I'd love to." She says excitedly. "It's been too long since I've been behind one of these."

"Well don't tell me that." He says laughing.

"Oh I'm more than competent sir. Go stretch your legs." He gives her a mini salute and leaves the pit. Barely a moment passes when she hears the door re-open. "Well that was quick, you don't trust me then?" She jokingly asks.

"Well I saw the pilot walk out and became slightly concerned." Mary hears Steve's voice and turns to see him smiling at her.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told him, I'm more than competent. You're fine."

Steve holds his hands up in mock surrender and takes the small co-pilot seat beside her. "I would like to finish our conversation while you're stuck here then." She rolls her eyes at his trickery but doesn't protest.

"I only meant that right now we shouldn't get involved because I don't think I would be able to give you the attention you deserve. I already worry about my friend. I don't think I can afford to get attached to someone else. I've already lost so much. I would hate to lose you too." Mary nods in understanding. "I just don't think it would be fair to you."

"Shouldn't I get to decide that?" She asks, keeping her eyes forward.

"I suppose."

"If the world has already taken so much from you, should you not get to decide what you want?"

There's a long pause before he says, "Up until now, I didn't know what I wanted."

"And what do you want?" She asks quietly, her hands are squeezing the yoke tightly as she waits for his answer.

"I want to dance. I want peace. I want you." She finally looks at him and sees the face of a lonely man; a man who has had it all and lost it all. She is spared from saying anything as the pilot comes back in.

He regards the scene before him, "I can take it from here now Ma'am."

Mary trades places with the pilot and Steve stands up beside her, she takes his hand into hers, "Come with me." She says and he follows her down the short aisle to the last row of seats where they sit down side by side. Mary turns to face him, "You have me. And the rest will come." She says, placing her hands on the sides of his face, her thumbs grazing the strong line of his jaw. She places a gentle kiss to his cheek and pulls back to look at him and he smiles shyly at her. He pulls her closer and they share a long kiss over the plains of the Canadian prairies where a new mystery awaits them.

* * *

**Sorry for the long delay in posting! Life happens. Thank you for the continued support by reading my story 3**


	9. Ch9: The Great White North

Their plane starts the slow descent over a small, snowy airfield and the other SHIELD agent walks back to his seat; Mary and Steve discreetly untangle their hands from each other. Out the window they can see the small town sitting on the edge of their landing space. There's a large river flowing to the west and the town is surrounded by forest. Mary gently rub Steve's arm. "Ready?" She asks him. He turns to look at her with sad eyes, "No. I doubt he's here. Something tells me we're always one step behind him for a reason."

"Maybe he's not ready to be found yet." Steve nods his head solemnly and turns back to the window.

* * *

The SHIELD agent that traveled with them is their only current contact. The pilot has to make another flight and they will be left in the northern town until the weekend or longer. There's only one hotel in the town and it's a homey lodge called Moose Inn. Mary and Steve part ways from the airfield and get settled in at the hotel. Once they feel set up, Mary makes her way down to the front desk to make inquiries with the owner. No one is at the desk when she arrives; she rings the small bell for service and waits. As Mary waits she takes a moment to take in her surroundings. The Moose Inn is made of logs and has two levels, there are no elevators and only a total of twelve rooms. The lobby area has a large fireplace with a roaring fire that warms up the whole space. There are animal heads on the walls and old, yellow light bulbs give the sitting area a warm glow. As Mary admires the room, she can hear the soft shuffle of feet coming to the desk.

"Hello dear. How can I help you?" An old woman has placed herself on the stool behind the desk and waits for Mary to answer.

"We're here to investigate the missing people. We understand there may be a man here who drew attention to himself and may have a connection."

The old woman takes a moment to answer, "Right to the point. Yes, the man with the metal arm you mean?"

"That's right. What do you know of him?"

"I know he had nothing to do with any missing persons. A lost soul yes. But not a killer. Now the livestock he might have. To eat, you know?" Mary nods excitedly.

"Thank you. This was very helpful." She turns to leave and the woman calls to her.

"Wait. I think he was renting a cabin in the woods." She pauses for a moment. "I think it was Jack Sharp's. Let me find his number." She shuffles off her stool to a cupboard and digs through a large book. She makes a little _aha_ noise and writes on a piece of paper. Shuffling back to Mary, she hands her the paper with a phone number scrawled across.

"Thank you very much, Mrs-"

"It's Ms. Johnson. I'm a widower. Ten years."

"You run this place on your own?" Mary asks surprised.

"Mostly. I have a son in law who comes round to help me with the heavy lifting." She gives a little chuckle at her private joke. "Let me know if there's anything you need Hun."

"I will. Thanks again!" Mary hurries up the stairs to share the new information with Steve.

* * *

"That's great." Steve says after Mary fills him in. "Let's call the number and see what we can find."

"Do you think anyone will recognize you here?" Mary asks him. His eyebrows crinkle together as he considers her question.

"I don't know. I'll let you do most of the talking though." Mary grabs her cell phone and dials the number. The man, Jack Sharp, picks up after the second ring and they arrange a time the next day to meet with him.

"Well it's only two in the afternoon. Should we check out the rest of the town?"

"Let's do it." Steve replies.

The snow crunches under their boots as they walk down the small street in the center of the town. Steve wears a hood and glasses to cover his face, Mary is not infamous and approaches the townspeople freely. They see an older man sitting outside a building, labelled the Post Office and they make their way over to him.

"Afternoon." he calls by way of invitation.

"Hello." Mary replies, taking off her glove to shake his hand and Steve does the same, keeping his face hidden. "Aren't you cold sitting out here?"

"Oh no, this is a warm day." he chuckles. "Not from 'round here are ya?"

"No sir, we're not. We're investigating the missing people and livestock. I'm Agent Mary and this is Agent Roger." They had decided back at the hotel to use his last name as his alias. "Do you know anything about that?"

"Well...I know the sheriff is trying to blame it on that young man out in the woods." Mary feels Steve stiffen beside her. "But I don't think he dun it. I actually went out with Jack when he handed the keys off. You know just in case he was a serial killer or something. Quiet fellow though, didn't seem like a killer to me."

"Did you notice anything unusual about him?" Steve asks. The older man turns to Steve, "Oh it talks. What's with the get up son?" Steve pulls his hood down and removes the sunglasses so the man can see his face. "Steve." Mary says quietly, nudging his arm.

"It's ok." he replies. The old man stares in surprise up at Steve, "oh my." he sighs out and slowly pulls himself up to stand.

"Captain America?" he asks and Steve nods. "It's an honor. My brother fought in the war and came home with stories about the American super soldier. Even said he caught a glimpse of you once." he laughs quietly to himself at an old memory. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone you're under that facade. It's a little creepy, but I understand." Steve and Mary both laugh at his excitement and honesty, as he sets his body back down.

"Now what did you ask? Oh yes, anything unusual. Do you mean the giant silver arm he had? Yes we all noticed it. I don't think he intended us to, but he didn't have much for warm clothes when he trotted into town."

"That probably means he _was _in Mexico." Mary says to Steve.

"I can get you Jack Sharp's number to drive you out to the cabin."

"Thank you but Ms. Johnson already supplied us with it. This has been very helpful."

"Right, good. Well you two be careful. There's something strange going on in those woods this winter." Mary and Steve shake his hand again, nodding their thanks and continue back to the Moose Inn. "My toes are freezing." Mary says. "We better find him quickly or I won't last long." she teases. Steve smiles down at her but she sees the worry in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"I don't think he's here. And if he's not here, but people and animals are going missing; what does that mean?"

"I don't know. But we'll look into it. Right now, I just need a warm shower and a good meal."

* * *

Steam fills the bathroom as Mary shuts the water off and wraps herself in a large, fluffy towel. She combs her dark hair out as it drips on the floor and realizes she forgot her clothes on the table. She opens the door a crack and sees Steve sitting on the bed, watching tv. Opening the door wider she steps over to the little table holding her garments and Steve notices her.

"I forgot my clothes out here." she says meekly. Steve blushes and scoots to the edge of the bed so he faces away. "I'll give you some privacy."

"Thanks." Mary replies, slightly disappointed but she doesn't know why. _What did that moment on the plane mean?_

"You can turn around. I'm dressed." she says and walks over to the other side of the bed, sitting with her back against the pillows and her legs stretched out long. Steve turns and settles his body back into the bed the same. He lets his fingers brush hers and she turns to look at his face, trying to read him. She shifts her body so she's lying on her side facing him.

"So we'll go to the cabin in the morning. 10 am Jack Sharp will meet us."

"We don't have to talk about the mission right now." Steve cuts her off.

"Okay… what do you want to talk about then?" she asks.

"I don't really want to talk at all." Steve says shyly. Mary gets the cue and smiling she slides her body closer to his, places her hand on his cheek and pulls him in for a deep kiss.

To be continued...


	10. Ch10: The Cabin

The sun streamed through the partially open curtains, causing Mary to gently blink her eyes open. Still dressed in her clothes from the night before, she feels Steve's deep breaths of sleep blow against the back of her neck. His arm is wrapped around her midsection and their bodies are close together. She smiles at the intimate moment, before gently peeling his arm off her body and rolls off the bed. They hadn't even made it under the covers; sleep grabbed them quickly after a passionate moment together.

Mary checks the time to see it's only 7am so she throws on a sweater and slips out the door of the room. She makes her way downstairs on a hunt for food. She can smell the spread by the time she gets to the first floor landing and her grumbling stomach steers her forward.

She grabs two black coffees in to-go cups and fills a plate with an assortment of breakfast foods. It's been awhile since they were at the resort in Mexico and they've been missing a healthy, loaded meal; she can tell the breakfast is all homemade and with her hands full, she rushes back up the stairs to wake up Steve.

Mary clicks open the door, notices right away the bed is empty and turns to see Steve naked but for a small towel wrapped around his waist. His body is still wet from a quick shower and he starts to blush and rubs the back of the head. The movement only accentuates his tone body and Mary places the breakfast on the tv stand and swiftly moves to give him a soft kiss on his lips. He's surprised by the gesture, but it comes naturally between them now.

"It's not the forties Steve. You don't have to be so shy." Feeling bold she slides her hand down his chest and his body tenses under her touch, "Although bashful on you is adorable." She glides over the moment and passes him a cup of coffee, enjoying the easy rapport they have now.

"Thanks." Steve says, smiling over the cup at her.

After Steve dresses, they enjoy the meal together, agreeing to keep work talk off limits for the duration of the breakfast. When they're finished, Mary places the dishes on the rooms desk and sits back on the bed beside Steve. He rubs his hand along her low back, where her shirt has lifted up slightly; his fingers hook on her hip and he pulls her closer. She leans into his large frame, breathing in the smell of his aftershave and minty soap. Steve kisses the top of her head and Mary smiles at the affection, but she reluctantly pulls away. Steve lets out a sigh and looks down at her with a curious, teasing smile.

"We should probably get to work." Mary says, nudging him with her shoulder. He pulls her in for one last squeeze, she wraps her arms around his body again and feels his cheek rested on top of her head. Savoring the moment a little longer, she waits for him to pull away this time. When he does he places his fingers under her chin, pulling her face up to his. "One more," he whispers before brushing a gentle kiss to her lips. She melts into it and when the moment is over, it's all business and Mary gets dressed into warm tactical gear.

"Here." Mary says, tossing a baseball cap to Steve, "to keep you inconspicuous. If that's possible." she adds with a teasing grin. Steve tucks the hat over his face and gives her a wink. They gather up their gear and head out the hotel door.

Mary waves goodbye to Ms. Johnson at the front desk, noticing a man in his thirties working on the door to the back room. She makes a mental note of the new face and follows Steve out into the parking lot. It's colder today and there's a light drift of snow coming down, making the world feel like a snowglobe. Throwing the assortment of bags into the back of their rental truck, Mary then pulls up the address of Jack Sharp and starts to direct Steve through town.

The address takes them to a small, yellow house just on the edge of the town. There's a man in fur lined denim jacket, cowboy hat and leather boots to match waiting for them on the porch. He gives a wave and starts walking to the passenger side. Mary rolls down the window to greet him, "Morning." he says. "You must be the lady I chatted with on the phone yesterday."

"Yes sir, Agent Mary." She sticks her hand out the window and he gives it a polite shake. "We want to check out the cabin you rented."

"Alright." he gestures towards his pickup truck. "Well, follow me. It's about a fifteen minute drive down some backroads behind town."

The drive is short and Mary and Steve sit in silence, following the trail of snow Jack's truck leaves. When they arrive, the slam of truck doors is the only sound in the forest surrounding the cabin. It's a small, log cabin with a tiny porch and two windows. There's chopped wood leaning against the front and a chimney poking up in the back.

"When was the last time you saw the renter?" Mary asks.

Jack rubs his stubbled chin thoughtfully, "He brought his payment to me the first of the month so would have been a couple weeks now. He asked for privacy when he first came to me. I told him as long as he made rent, I could agree to that. No idea what he got up to out here though. Had the feeling he was running from something."

"Thank you." Mary says. "Wait out here while we inspect the cabin. Steve take the perimeter, I'll enter through the front door." He gives a nod and starts to make his way along the right side of the cabin, past the tower of leaning logs.

Mary goes to the door and gives an apprehensive knock, peering through the small door window. With no sign of life, she jiggles the doorknob and the door swings open. A musky, earthy smell hits her senses and she notices a wood burning stove in the corner under where the chimney would be. There's a small sink with dishes hanging on the wall, a bed in the opposite corner of the stove and a small table with a lone chair. She approaches the stove, placing her hand on it and quickly pulls her hand away. It's still warm!

As she uncovers this detail she hears a shout come from outside. Grabbing her gun from her hip, she rushes back out the door and notices Jack Sharp approaching a figure dressed in black, trying to break into their rental truck.

"Stay back Mr. Sharp." she shouts, raising her gun. The mystery person lifts their head and she notices they're wearing a ski mask. Seeing her, the man takes off in a run through the trees, zig zagging in every direction so she can't get a clear shot. She starts to pursue, but out of the corner of her eye she sees Steve leap over the hood of the truck and run after the attacker.

Mary turns to Jack, "Are you alright?" He waves her worries away with a flick of his hand.

"Fine fine. He was trying to get into your truck, didn't notice I was still out here I guess."

"Was it the man you were renting to?"

"No. He was too small. And I didn't notice the...well, you know. The metal fingertips."

"Right. Ok. Thank you." Mary says and then notices Steve jogging back to them empty handed.

"What happened?" Mary asks surprised.

"I don't know." Steve replies looking perplexed. "He just disappeared. Was it Bucky?" he asks.

"No. Jack says it couldn't be. Too small."

"Damn it." Steve whispers under his breath. Mary approaches him, putting both hands on his shoulders.

"Hey, easy. It's ok Steve. Bucky isn't here, we already deduced that. We can still help these people though. Something's going on and someone is using this cabin. The stove was still warm." He nods his head in agreement.

"I found garbage and compost behind the cabin as well." he says.

"Let's do a scan of the woods, see if we can find out where this mystery attacker went." She turns to Jack Sharp now. "Mr. Sharp, I think it would be best if you headed back to town, this isn't what we expected and we can't have any civilians getting harmed. We can find our way back to town."

"Alright then. Call me if you need anything else."

"Thank you." She shakes his hand and waits until he's driving back down the road before she turns to Steve. He's at the truck grabbing gear, his shield already strapped to his back.

Letting Steve take the lead this time, they start to make their way through the trees and follow the tracks of the pursuit.

"So when you say he disappeared..?" Mary says to Steve's back.

"I was running after him, sure I could cover the distance because he was running erratically and then I looked down to jump over a log, he was gone when I got my bearings again."

"Where would he go?" Mary says looking around at the dense forest of trees.

"Doesn't help with the snow coming down heavier now, I've already lost the trail. I think this trail here," he points down at the ground, "was made by deer. I can't tell. Either that or he was a mutant and has some kind of power."

"A what?"

"They didn't brief you on mutants?" Steve asks. "People born with special abilities?"

"Well yeah, kinda. I just didn't realize they were common enough to be a problem."

"Most of them aren't a problem, they're just trying to fit into this world. I don't know how else to explain the lack of trail." He says frowning now and walking back to the truck. "And why would he be trying to get into our truck?" Mary shrugs, unsure of the mystery as he is.

Twenty minutes later they're back at the hotel and hauling gear back up the stairs. Steve doesn't want to risk the assailant breaking into the truck for whatever it is they're looking for. Mary goes back down the stairs to fetch some warm coffee and donuts she noticed laid out in the common area.

When Mary comes back up she halts at the room door; she can hear Steve talking abruptly to someone on the other side. She hears no other voices and figures he's on the phone. She loiters outside the door for a moment to allow him some privacy, from the tone of his voice she can't imagine it's good news.

After a few moments of silence, she hazards a guess it's safe and enters the room. She sees Steve seated on the bed, his head hanging in his hands and a cell phone discarded beside him.

"What's up?" she asks. Turning to gaze up at her she sees grief etched across his face and her stomach drops. "What's wrong?"

He stares at the phone, "That was Wanda. They have a location on Brock Rumlow." He turns back to her now and reaches a hand out, she takes it and nestles into his side. "He was a high level HYDRA agent. Dangerous to the public. My team needs me." He pulls her in close and she lets him, knowing what's coming next. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

She shifts her body so she can look at him, forcing a tight smile. "It's ok. I understand." She dips her head back down against his chest so he can't see her eyes. "I can handle this case from here. And if I find anything on Sergeant Barnes, I'll pass it on." He kisses her on the forehead and she regretfully realizes it might be the last time.

"I have to pack." He says, getting up now. "They're sending a quinjet already and sending me to Nigeria to meet the rest of the team." He' already gathering his belongings amongst the room and throwing them in a duffel bag.

"Right. Ok." Mary says, moving to rest her back against the bed headboard. She grabs her laptop and tries to make herself busy. She bites her lip to fight back emotions, chastising herself for falling for a man whose morals take priority. Lost in her thoughts she doesn't notice he's standing at the end of the bed looking at her, his face relaying as many emotions as hers.

"Jet's five minutes out." he says.

"Ok." she barely manages to say, waiting for him to lead her through this goodbye.

"Did you want to come to the jet or..umm-" he trails off, shuffling nervously on his feet.

"No. I don't think that would be appropriate," she says sliding off the side of the bed to stand. "We can say goodbye here." She nervously tugs at her shirt and Steve finally closed the distance between them, pulling her into a strong embrace.

"I wish we had more time." he says into her hair.

She breathes him in one last time, "Me too."

"Second hardest goodbye I've had to do." He says, his voice thick and muffled.

She pulls back and wraps her arms around the back of his neck. He leans down and their lips meet. The kiss starts off unsure, slow and gentle and then something urges them as the kiss deepens. Their lips pressed hard against each other, movements quick and passionate. Steve is the first to pull away, he looks down at Mary and brushes a thumb across her cheek. He presses one last kiss to her lips and she lets her hands drop from the back of his head. He squeezes her hand, "I'll see you soon."

"Ok." She smiles at him, "bye." He leaves the room and when the door clicks she finally lets the tears fall, pressing a finger to her lips where she can still feel the tingle of their last kiss.

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**A hard chapter to write. I now know how I'm going to end this story, only a few more chapters so I can wrap it up appropriately. Thanks for reading. Leave a review! I appreciate feedback **


	11. Ch11: A Mystery somewhere in Manitoba

Mary wakes from a fitful sleep, Steve's words of goodbye still ring in her ears. She knows she'll see him again, but something tells her it won't be for long or under good circumstances. Steve is loyal, she knows this, but he was loyal to others before her. Call it 'spy' intuition, but every call from command can change a person in big ways and small.

She finds herself tempted to spend her day lying in the hotel room bed, she can't remember the last time she truly rested...without a chopping block above her head. And S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't contacted her yet.

She tries to will her body to stay put and it is her mind that betrays her; thoughts always drift back to Steve.

With a heavy sigh, Mary tosses the covers off and ready's herself for the day. The old style clock on the nightstand only reads nine in the morning and sweet, breakfast aromas waft under the door, pulling her to the lodge's social area.

The spread Mrs. Johnson has left out is just as good as the day before. Mary pulls a plate from the end of the line and finds herself behind a tall man. He looks over his shoulder at her and she offers a 'good morning.'

His brows pull together, as his lips tighten and he moves away from her to continue filling his plate. Mary recognizes him as the man she saw the other day working on the door behind the front desk. _That was odd_, she thinks while her senses pique at the unusual and cold greeting he bestowed. She watches him as he keeps piling his plate with food and then disappears behind the check in desk. It's a peculiar sight to see his large body, stuffed behind the desk, instead of Mrs. Johnson's frail frame.

There was something definitely unsettling about the man that Mary kept finding herself shooting glances at him over her breakfast food from her place at the communal table. There was only her and two others seated, an older couple visiting friends in town. They were caught up in their own conversation and didn't pay much attention to Mary, perhaps because of the scowl on her face and the all black clothing or maybe they just enjoy each other's company enough not to bother her.

As Mary puts her finished plate on the tray she hears a shout come from the front entrance. The door is open wide and cold, winter air blows in snow. A woman is standing at the door, pointing her finger at the man behind the check in desk and yelling, "I know what you are. I know what you are." Mary watches as the man's face becomes flushed with red and he jumps up toward the woman. Instinct pulls her to stand at the woman's side as he approaches her. They reach the woman at the same time and Mary shifts her body in front of the woman, scowling up at the man, as he is quite a bit taller than her.

"Move," he snarls, his face bright red and pinched together.

Mary can feel the small woman's trembling body behind her and she doesn't move even slightly.

"I know what you are. I know what he is," the woman keeps whispering.

"I'm calling the police."

"That won't be necessary," Mary says, her voice calm, but firm. "I'll get her out of here. Come on, miss."

The man grabs her upper arm, his grip is strong and Mary whirls on him, her nostrils flaring and she tries to pry his fingers. His grip is like a vice.

"Under whose authority." His voice is deep and quiet, as he returns Mary's glare.

"You need to let go of me," Mary warns him and when he does no such thing, she twists her arm, kicks at his shins to send his feet sprawling and punches him in the throat on his way down. Standing over top of him, one foot on his left bicep and the other beside his ribs, Mary grabs him by the collar of his shirt where she can read the name of the hotel in gold embroidered thread.

"Find somewhere new to stay," he spits at her.

She shoves him back to the ground and says, "fine by me." Turning to the woman, who is still standing by the open, cold door with wide eyes, Mary motions for her to follow. Robotically they make their way up the stairs to Mary's room.

It takes Mary less than six minutes to gather all her things from the small room. All her tactical training has prepared her to be ready for anything and to leave as quickly as possible. The other woman has so far stayed quiet during the entire process and as Mary closes the door behind them she finally regards the woman.

"What is your name?"

The woman is short with a mess of windblown hair around her face, she's wearing a large brown coat that falls past her knees and a red scarf wrapped around her throat. She can't be older than twenty from Mary's guess, she finally looks up at Mary with wide brown eyes.

"Sadie," she says quietly.

"Okay, Sadie, I want you to stay close behind me. We'll have to go out the front door and I want to avoid another altercation. Once we're safely in the truck, we'll ?"

She nods her head vigorously and immediately tucks in behind Mary. Mary slings her gear over her shoulders and they swiftly make their way down the stairs.

She glances over at the desk as they come into the main lobby, and the man is standing behind the counter glowering at them both.

As soon as the cold air hits her face, Mary looses a breath she didn't realize she was holding. They dart across the parking lot as Mary unlocks the door and tosses the bags into the back. Sadie slides into the passenger side as Mary immediately locks the doors and fires up the engine. Turning the heat up and rubbing her hands together, willing the friction to create warmth, she turns to the girl.

"I need you to tell me what just happened in there."

The girl opens her mouth, closes it and begins viciously pulling at the hem of her ragged coat. "I—"

A loud crash can be heard behind them. Still parked close to the small motel, Mary swivels in her seat to look out the trucks back window. The large window of the building has been shattered and someone is lying sprawled across the snowy parking lot.

Lurching into action, Mary shouts, "Stay here."

"Wait!" The girl cries out and Mary barely hears her as she darts to the body. Red is blooming around their head and abdomen, the red a stark contrast against the pure, white snow. She rolls the body over and sees it's the man she just got into a fight with. He groans and she realizes he's still alive. Gathering her surprise, Mary begins performing first aid. First she has to figure out where all the blood is coming from. There's a cut above his eyebrow, probably from when he went through the window, but it shouldn't be creating this much blood around his body. She begins roaming her hands along him and when she passes a hand over his left ribs, her fingers come away red.

She puts pressure and the man whimpers in pain. "Don't—" His body racks with violent coughs and he says, "bother."

Mary furrows her brow, removing her hand to rip cloth from the bottom of his shirt. "What happened?" she asks.

He grabs her wrist and she stops her task. People have begun to gather and she asks if someone has called an ambulance. When many heads bob an affirmative she focuses on the dying man again.

"I need you…" He coughs up blood in between words. "I need you to help me."

Mary is taken aback by the request and the oddity of the situation she finds herself in with him. She nods her head, not wanting to waste his energy with an argument.

"The mutants."

"I need you to help me keep them...safe. Someone is…" More coughing and Mary fights the urge to wince. "...trying to kill them all."

His fingers are still wrapped around her wrist and he squeezes them now. "Please. Help them. Find who...who's doing this."

"I will," Mary says. "I promise. I will help them for you."

The man searches her face, looking for the truth in her words. When he is satisfied, he takes in one last rattled breath and then his chest stops rising and falling, his eyes turn glassy. Mary closes his eyelids and hears people crying behind her and the distant sound of sirens.

"Is he dead?"

"Yes," Mary says and gets up. She sees the speaker is Mrs. Johnson.

"He's my son in law," she says between sniffles and big, fat tears roll down her face.

Shocked Mary moves to the old woman, resting a hand on her arm. "I'm so sorry."

"What—what did he say to you? As he was dying...he looked so determined while he spoke to you."

Mary contemplates sharing with the woman the promise she made, she could inadvertently compromise the mission set before her. She decides to tell a half truth and see if the old woman knows anything.

"He asked me to help a group of people, that they were in danger."

Mrs. Johnson nods her head solemnly. "The mutants," she states simply.

"Y-yes." Mary is rarely caught off guard and she didn't expect the woman's blatant statement.

"He was helping them. Someone's been killing them...someone killed his family-my family." She must read the quizzical look Mary shares because she sadly says, "my daughter and grandchild were mutants. They were killed three months ago. Many mutants come here, it's remote and safe. But someone has found them and is hunting them. Please, you have to help them."

"I will," Mary says firmly, spurred by the resolve in the woman's voice. "And you, are you a mutant?"

Mrs. Johnson smiles sadly and says, "Of a sort." Mary doesn't push, understanding the need to closely guard secrets.

Mary learns the cause of death was a knife wound shoved under the left ribs towards the heart before Jim, as she now knows his name, went through the window. And there's no trace of the murderer. After talking to the police, giving a statement, signing paperwork Mary finally gets back into her truck and realizes with a start that the girl is no longer in the passenger seat. Truthfully, Mary had forgotten about her in the midst of the excitement. Something about the girl tugs at Mary's instincts though and she wonders if the girl, Sadie, plays a larger role in all this.

Mrs. Johnson promised Mary's room back to her, and guiltily Mary retreated there with her gear. Someone is killing mutants, presumably a human and Mary needs to figure out who before someone else is killed. She's tempted to call Steve and get his help, but doesn't want to pull him away from his own obligations.

Taking a long hot, shower, Mary scrubs Jim's blood off her hands and arms, when she gets into warm dry clothes she pulls up her computer to begin research. Everyone has skeletons in their closet and it's time to discover the secrets of this small town, before it's too late.

* * *

**A little bit of a filler, hoping to wrap up the story in two more chapters :) And I promise one more Steve/Mary moment. Thanks for reading!**


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